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Dec 10, 2014 - (Albany, N.Y.) Governor Cuomo must include expansion of state Tuition Assistance Program financial aid to
NEWS RELEASE For more immediate release: Wednesday, December 10, 2014

For more information: Blair Horner, NYPIRG, 518 727-4506 Fran Clark, Professional Staff Congress at CUNY, 914 364-8925

STUDENTS, FACULTY, EDUCATION AND IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES URGE GOVERNOR TO MODERNIZE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GROUPS URGE INCLUSION OF “NY DREAM ACT” IN GOVERNOR’S BUDGET AS A GREAT FIRST STEP 500 STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS SEND LETTER TO GOVERNOR URGING ACTION ON NY DREAM (Albany, N.Y.) Governor Cuomo must include expansion of state Tuition Assistance Program financial aid to undocumented students who graduate from New York high schools in his FY 2016 budget, said a coalition of students, faculty, education and immigrant organizations at a news conference today in Albany. As part of the call, a coalition of over 500 college organizations from around the state issued a letter to the governor urging expansion of TAP to such students. Allowing TAP for low-income undocumented students is part of a platform of changes to TAP supported by the #Reform NY TAP Coalition that would realign the 40-year-old program with the needs of today’s students and families to help all New York students afford college and stay out of debt. Under New York State law, undocumented students are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at SUNY and CUNY, yet are not eligible for financial aid under the state’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). The law allowing in-state tuition was approved in 2002 by then-Governor Pataki with bipartisan Senate support (40 Senators voted for the legislation, including Senator Skelos). Expansion of TAP eligibility to these students was approved last session by the state Assembly and is supported by Governor Cuomo. At a hearing held to discuss the state’s TAP assistance, the organizations called the 40- year-old program out-of-step with the needs of today’s college students and presented numerous recommendations for reform. The groups urged action on the expansion of financial assistance to eligible undocumented students (also known as the “NY DREAM Act”) as an important first step in modernizing the program. -

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Attached: The letters to Governor Andrew Cuomo, a fact sheet on the organizations’ TAP reform agenda, a fact sheet on the “NY DREAM Act,” as well as statements from the participating organizations.

STATEMENTS AT TAP REFORM NEWS CONFERENCE DECEMBER 10, 2014 “In 1974, New Yorkers were using rotary phones. That’s the year TAP was established. And at the age of 40, the program has a lot to brag about: it has helped make a college education possible for millions of students— but it hasn’t changed enough with the times. Just as society has updated its phones since ’74, the state should examine and update its Tuition Assistance Program. TAP must be updated to cover more of the cost of tuition for those who qualify, and be flexible enough to meet the needs of all types of New Yorkers, not just the “traditional”—not as traditional anymore— straight-fromhigh-school-to-college full-time student that it was initially designed to serve,” said Aileen Sheil, Chairperson of the New York Public Interest Research Group’s Board of Directors and a Queens College student. "Many undocumented students do not pursuit a higher education not because they don’t have the skills to do it but because the lack of financial aid. What happens to DREAMers when the stigmatization of not having proper documentation increases when they cannot apply for financial assistance? They shut down. I was there, I shut down but I am tired. If The Tuition Assistance Program is open for myself and people like me, I am sure my future will be brighter," said Denise Vivar, Lehman College student and member of CUNY DREAMers. “Our job is to provide our students with the tools they need to pursue an educational career. Extending TAP to undocumented students will help them have access to an affordable and quality education. The dreams of the undocumented students in New York cannot be deferred any longer. Governor Cuomo must act now,” said Nicole Marie Ponzo, Vice Chair of Graduate Student Affairs, University Student Senate. "The harsh reality is that many students who are in need of in-state financial aid do not qualify, including undocumented youth. Many bright minds give up on their hopes of attending college due to skyrocketing cost. While economic realities have drastically altered since TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) was first implemented forty years ago, TAP too must now evolve to address these realities. Albany must reform TAP now to give all students a chance at a college education,” said Lucia Gomez, Executive Director, LaFuente. “Part of NYSFAAA’s primary purpose is to effectively serve the interests and needs of students. To do this we need to help ensure that the TAP program is working equitably for all students. That is why we are advocating for TAP Reform now so that the program can be updated to equitably serve NYS students,” said Kerrie Cooper, Director of Financial Aid, SUNY Canton and New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association President. “The New York State School Counselor Association enthusiastically supports the modernization efforts in the platform of the Reform TAP Coalition. We also encourage Governor Cuomo to include the NY Dream Act in his 2015-16 Appropriate Budget and allow this deserving population the same opportunities granted all other college students in NYS,” said Robert S. Rotunda, Ed.D. Executive Director, NYS School Counselor Association. "We here at the League of Latin American Citizens Queens Council 23047 strongly believe that students who are studying and working hard deserve an equal opportunity to obtain a higher education. Education is a human right, and we should all work collectively to make sure that this right is granted to all undocumented youth," said Jason Pagan, League of Latin American Citizens Queens Council 23047. “As a principal of an International High School with an all immigrant student population, every year I witness hundreds of students eager and ready to begin their college careers unable to do so. We must support these students by funding the New York State DREAM Act in the budget and reforming TAP to meet the needs of today's students. By graduating high school, Dreamers have already demonstrated qualities that allow them to persevere despite the odds. They are strivers who are determined to get ahead and as such embody our American

values. Investing in them is a win for them and a win for our state,” said Nedda de Castro, Principal, International High School at Prospect Heights. “There is no longer any doubt that access to higher education for currently and formerly incarcerated people leads to dramatic reductions in recidivism, increased public safety, and improved lives for justice impacted individuals and their families and communities. By repealing the existing ban on TAP eligibility for currently incarcerated individuals New York will remove an unnecessary hurdle that prevents those who qualify from attaining an opportunity to improve their lives. We urge the legislature to support the Governor’s commitment to educational access for incarcerated people and act to repeal the ban on TAP now,” said Mel Gagarin, The Education from the Inside Out Coalition. "During the past decade a number of states and higher education institutions through the country have taken leadership in supporting and providing resources for undocumented students, to achieve their educational dreams. New York State should follow the efforts from other states and be one of the lead pioneers in securing educational funding regardless of the immigration status,” said Mateo Tabares, Youth Organizer, Make the Road NY. "At a time when having a postsecondary credential is more critical than ever for getting a good job or advancing in your career, too few working adults are getting the chance to go to school to gain more skills. And a big part of the problem is that the eligibility restrictions of Part-Time TAP (PTAP) effectively bar tens of thousands of New Yorkers who can only afford to enroll in college on a part-time basis from benefitting from the program," said Christian González-Rivera, Center for an Urban Future "Beyond the sound economic arguments, passing the DREAM Act is a moral issue. It’s about building a society that welcomes the stranger, and offers hope and opportunity, fairly and to all,” said Rev. Gusti Newquist, First United Presbyterian Church, Troy, NY “City University faculty and staff know first-hand that TAP needs an update. TAP is failing part-time students, adult learners and undocumented students, to name just a few of the types of students who are underserved or ignored altogether by the program. Albany has the power to fix the problems with TAP, and the governor has the power to get started on the job this session by funding the NYS Dream Act in his Executive Budget,” said Steve London, first vice president of the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY. “The state must invest heavily in student financial aid and opportunity programs and reform the Tuition Assistance Program to build a more accessible, affordable public higher education system. UUP recognizes that a college education is a necessity in today’s world, which is why we’ve launched a multifaceted action plan to create a new SUNY student loan refinancing program and calls on the state to pay its fair share of SUNY’s operational costs. These positive changes coupled with TAP reform, will ensure a strong public higher education system," said Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D., President, United University Professions. “NYSUT strongly supports updating the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) which is now 40 years old. While this wonderful program has afforded so many students the ability to obtain a higher education, it needs to be updated and modernized to reflect a much different student population. Today, too many students are excluded from or underserved by the current program. We fully support all of the #Reform TAP Coalition’s proposals. Moreover, we strongly believe that the first modification of TAP should be to make undocumented students eligible for this program. We urge the Governor and the Legislature to enact the NY Dream Act during the 2015 legislative session,” said Andrew Pallotta, NYSUT Executive Vice President.

COALITION TO REFORM THE NY TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM December 9, 2014 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Executive Chamber Albany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Andrew M. Cuomo: We write to request a meeting in December to discuss college access, student debt and the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), which is 40 years old and hasn’t changed with the times. TAP should be realigned with the needs of today’s students and families. Our coalition has a platform of reforms, which we urge you to support (see attached). You should begin by including funds and rule changes to implement the NYS DREAM Act in the next State budget. (SUNY and CUNY have also recommended critical updates to TAP.) A generation ago, when TAP was as old as a college sophomore, SUNY and CUNY were affordable for most families earning the state’s median income and it was possible for a student from a middle-income family to attain a college education (public or private) without a crushing amount of student loan debt. Back then, TAP worked as intended: it increased college access for low-income high school graduates. But times have changed. TAP is middle-aged now. Tuition at SUNY and CUNY has more than quadrupled since 1990, middle-income families are struggling to afford college (public or private), and student-loan debt is a full-blown economic and social crisis; it exceeds credit-card and auto-loan debt, and is limiting opportunities for young New Yorkers and stunting the economy. Indebted college graduates are less entrepreneurial and are less likely to take career risks than graduates without debt; they put off major purchases, like a car or a home, and big life transitions, like moving away from home, getting married or starting a family. New York’s student body has changed, too. College is pre-requisite for most careers, so enrollments are at record highs and students are more diverse than ever. Middle-income students’ families are in a much more precarious financial situation than they were a generation ago. The notion of the teenaged, straight-from-high-school-to-college student that TAP was set up to serve is almost passé. About 40% of all college students are older than 25. More than a third attend classes part time. Many juggle work and family obligations while in college. Under your administration, TAP has become part of the plan for Moving the New NY Forward. The maximum TAP award increased this year for the first time in 14 years, and undocumented students are heartened by your vocal support for the NYS DREAM Act. Enabling them to receive TAP (if they graduate from a New York State high school or GED program and meet and financial-need requirements) by putting it in the State budget is an important step toward modernizing TAP. TAP has been a source of hope and opportunity for New York students, but those who fall through cracks in the program and the 60% of New York students burdened with college debt need help. We look forward to working with you on this important issue. Thank you in advance for your consideration. Sincerely and on behalf of the coalition, NYPIRG Center for an Urban Future CUNY DREAMers Coalition Education from the Inside Out Coalition Hispanic Federation

c/o NYPIRG, 107 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210 * (518) 436-0876 phone; (518) 432-6178 fax

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COALITION TO REFORM THE NY TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Continued: Labor-Religion Coalition of NYS LaFuente Latin American Citizen Queens Council 23047 Make the Road NY New York Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators New York State School Counselor Association NYSUT Professional Staff Congress United University Professions University Student Senate - CUNY

Attachments cc: Larry Schwartz, Secretary for the Governor Elana Sigall, Deputy Secretary for Education Jay Quaintance, Assistant Secretary for Education

c/o NYPIRG, 107 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210 * (518) 436-0876 phone; (518) 432-6178 fax

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#MakeNYCollegeAffordable – #ReformNYTAP It’s time to strengthen New York’s commitment to college access through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). In the last 40 years TAP has helped four million New Yorkers afford college. But a lot has changed since the program’s founding in 1974, and TAP is behind the times. Updating it would have significant social and economic benefits, like shared prosperity, and a more fulfilled, more engaged citizenry less burdened by student loan debt. TAP grants haven’t kept pace with rising tuition, and student loan debt is reaching a crisis level: 2.7 million New Yorkers now hold outstanding student loans, and 60% of New York college graduates last year borrowed an average of $25,537 to pay for college. TAP should be realigned with the needs of the students and families of today. It should cover more of the cost of tuition for those who qualify, and be flexible enough to meet the needs of all types of New Yorkers, not just the “traditional” straightfrom-high-school-to-college full-time student that it was initially designed to serve. We also need to repair the damage done when some students saw their TAP grants cut or eliminated when Albany passed austerity budgets. To these ends, our coalition supports the following updates to TAP: Give excluded students access to TAP. 1) Extend TAP to undocumented youth who arrive in the US before age 16 and graduate from a New York high school or pass a New York accredited high school equivalency program. 2) Restore eligibility for TAP to students in default on federal student loans. 3) Restore TAP grants to graduate students which were eliminated in 2010. 4) Allow currently incarcerated students to once again qualify for TAP grants so that they can earn a college degree. Realign TAP to the current needs of students and families. 5) Increase the TAP maximum award to $6,500 for all students. 6) Get rid of outdated award schedules and the rule requiring that students’ grants be based on the year they enter college. 7) Raise the income thresholds on TAP award schedules for independent single students and married students without dependent children, and provide that all schedules incorporate the same maximum grant level of $6,500. For example, the TAP award schedule for independent single students without children1 is based on a 20 year-old schedule that makes them ineligible if they earn more than $10,000 in net taxable income and currently limits the maximum grant they could receive to just $3,025. This rule virtually prevents all poor, single working adult students from receiving any financial aid from TAP. 8) End the $100 per-year cut to students’ TAP grants in their last two years of school. 9) Eliminate the requirement that students attend college full-time for a year before becoming eligible for Part-Time TAP. 10) Add two semesters of TAP eligibility for students who are identified by the State as educationally disadvantaged, but are not enrolled in New York’s limited Educational Opportunity Programs (i.e. SEEK, College Discovery, and HEOP), which extends TAP for two additional semesters. 11) Increase the number of semesters of TAP eligibility for all students recognizing that the majority of students take longer than four years to complete a baccalaureate degree. The federal Pell Grant program recognizes this need and provides the equivalent of two additional years. 12) Increase TAP grants for students who come from families with multiple family members attending college at the same time. Simplify the rules and regulations, and improve TAP administration. 13) Revise the TAP definition of independence to match the federal Pell Grant criteria. 14) Let financial aid administrators make changes to students’ grants as is allowed under federal aid programs including Pell Grants. The current program does not allow for necessary adjustments when students are confronted with serious life changes such as a major loss of income or the death of a parent. Continue to make TAP function better. 15) Create a system that periodically reviews the effectiveness of TAP to ensure that the program remains up to date. 16) Require further training for TAP certifying professionals. 1

Foster children, orphans and wards of the state are now able to receive larger TAP awards on the dependent student schedule.

#MakeNYCollegeAffordable – #ReformNYTAP ________________________________________________________________________

ENDORSED 32BJ SEIU Advocates for Children of New York Cabrini Immigrant Services Campaign for Americas Future Citizen Action of New York (CANY) College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY) CUNY Coalition for Student with Disabilities (CCSD) Demos The Education from the Inside Out Coalition (EIO) Goddard Riverside Community Center “I Have A DREAM” Foundation Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State Lets Get Ready Long Island Jobs with Justice Make the Road New York (MRNY) Minkwon Community Center New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC) New York State Disability Services Council (NYS DSC) New York State AFL CIO New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA) New York State Higher Education Political Action Committee (NYSHEPAC) New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform New York State School Counselor Association (NYSSCA) New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC) New York Students Rising (NYSR) Professional Staff Congress/ CUNY (PSC) The Door University Student Senate / CUNY (USS) United University Professions / SUNY (UUP) The Urban Assembly

________________________________________________________________________ Contact: Farouk Abdallah, NYPIRG, [email protected] or 212-349-6460

PASS THE NEW YORK STATE “DREAM ACT” Dear Governor Cuomo: Congratulations on being re-elected. We were heartened by your support for the New York State Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act which would, for the first time, allow undocumented immigrant students to be eligible for state financial aid. Currently, these students are eligible for in-state public college tuition, but not financial aid. We write to urge you to include the DREAM Act in your proposed executive budget for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. New York has long recognized the importance of supporting immigrant students, including funding programs to support English Language Learners and college readiness programs. In 2001, Governor Pataki’s proposal to grant undocumented students access to in-state tuition rates was enacted with bipartisan support. Approximately 8,300 public college students are undocumented, pay in-state tuition, but are denied eligibility for state financial aid programs. Expanding the reach of TAP to include eligible undocumented students would increase the program’s expenditure by roughly 2%. It has been estimated that the overall cost of the NY DREAM Act would be less than $20 million. Our organizations agree with you that it is simply unfair to these students, as well as undermining the future success of the state, to deny them eligibility for financial aid. You can take a major step forward in ending this unfairness by including the DREAM Act in your proposed executive budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you again for your support, we look forward to supporting your Administration’s advocacy on behalf of the DREAM Act. If you would like to communicate with our coalition, please contact Farouk Abdallah of NYPIRG at [email protected]. Sincerely, [list of organizations attached]

School

Club/Organization:

SUNY Cortland

20 CSTV

Hostos Communty College

5Ps

College of Staten Island

A Reason To Write

Brooklyn College

Academic Club Association

Baruch College

Accounting Society

Borough of Manhattan Community College

Acentos Latinos

New York City College of Technology

Acts of Faith

Medgar Evers College

ADAFI

Hostos Communty College

Advertising Club

Baruch College

African Student Association of Baruch

Hunter College

African Student Union

Syracuse University & SUNY ESF

African Student Union

Borough of Manhattan Community College

African Students Association

Queens College

African Studies

Baruch College

ALPFA

Bronx Community College

Alpha Beta Gamma

Queens College

Alpha Club

Buffalo State College

Alpha Epsilon Iota

Buffalo State College

Alpha Epsilon Phi

SUNY New Paltz

Alpha Kappa Phi, Agonian Sorority Inc.

SUNY New Paltz

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc

Brooklyn College

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc, Delta Chi Chapter

Hunter College

Alpha Phi Omega

Hunter College

Alpha Sigma Sorority, Inc.

SUNY Cortland

Alphi Phi Omega

College of Staten Island

American Chemical Society

City College

American Institute of Architecture Students

SUNY New Paltz

American Marketing Association

City College

American Medical Women's Association

Brooklyn College

Anime & Manga Club

Borough of Manhattan Community College

Anime Club

Hostos Communty College

Anime Club

Pratt Institute

Anime Club

Buffalo State College

Anthropology Honor Society

Queensborough Community College Medgar Evers College College of Staten Island Hunter College Queensborough Community College Baruch College SUNY New Paltz Nassau Community College SUNY Cortland Medgar Evers College Medgar Evers College

Architecture Club Armed Forces Club Art Club Arts and Crafts Club ASAP Club ASEDOM Asian & Pacific Islander Student Alliance Asian American Club ASL (American Sign Language Club) Association for Black Social Workers Association for Computing Machinery

Hunter College Queens College Buffalo State College Nassau Community College Hostos Communty College Brooklyn College Baruch College Hunter College York College City College Baruch College Borough of Manhattan Community College Medgar Evers College Hostos Communty College Hunter College Queensborough Community College SUNY Cortland City College Brooklyn College Buffalo State College Nassau Community College Brooklyn College SUNY New Paltz SUNY New Paltz City College Baruch College Nassau Community College SUNY Purchase Brooklyn College Medgar Evers College SUNY Cortland Borough of Manhattan Community College Buffalo State College Hostos Communty College Borough of Manhattan Community College SUNY Cortland Binghamton University Buffalo State College SUNY New Paltz City College Queens College Buffalo State College Medgar Evers College Hostos Communty College City College SUNY Purchase Queensborough Community College Buffalo State College Borough of Manhattan Community College College of Staten Island Queensborough Community College Brooklyn College Borough of Manhattan Community College Queensborough Community College Queens College

Association for Computing Machinery at Hunter College Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting Astronomy Club Astronomy Club Audio Engineer Society Badminton Club Bangladesh Students Association Bangladeshi Club Bangladeshi Student Association Baskerville Chemical Society Beta Phi Sigma Sorority Beyond the Limits Biochemistry Research Society Biological Science Club Biology Club Biology Club Biology Club Bishoy Botros Black & Latino Male Initiative Black Active Minds Black and Hispanic Lost History Club Black Student Union Black Student Union Black Week BMES Bollywood Jalwa Breakers Broken Spokes Bike Shop Brooklyn Jhoom Brotherhood and Sisterhood Brothers and Sisters In Christ (BASIC) Buddhist Meditation Club Campus Girl Scouts Career Club Caribbean Club Caribbean Student Association Caribbean Student Association Caribbean Student Organization Caribbean Student Organization Caribbean Students Association Caribbean Students Association Caribbean Students Organization Caribbean Village Central and South American Students Cheer Cheese Club Chemistry College Chemistry Forensics Club Chess Club Chi Alpha Christian Club Chi Alpha Christian Club Chi Iota Omega Chinese Christian Fellowship Chinese Christian Fellowship Chinese Student Association

Queensborough Community College Hunter College City College Brooklyn College Hunter College New York City College of Technology Brooklyn College Hostos Communty College Buffalo State College City College Borough of Manhattan Community College Pratt Institute Hostos Communty College Queens College Nassau Community College College of Staten Island Borough of Manhattan Community College Hostos Communty College Bronx Community College Borough of Manhattan Community College Nassau Community College Queensborough Community College SUNY Cortland Brooklyn College Brooklyn College Hostos Communty College Borough of Manhattan Community College Borough of Manhattan Community College Baruch College SUNY New Paltz SUNY New Paltz Binghamton University Queens College Nassau Community College Borough of Manhattan Community College Hostos Communty College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Bronx Community College Hostos Communty College Brooklyn College Brooklyn College Borough of Manhattan Community College Hostos Communty College Hunter College Queens College Bronx Community College Hunter College Queens College Baruch College SUNY Cortland Buffalo State College Queens College Medgar Evers College Baruch College Hostos Communty College

Christians on Campus Circle K International City College Partnership CLAS Student Government Club India College Affairs : Video Journalism College Democrats College Discovery Club Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) Commonwealth Communication Studies Club Community Engagement Board Community Health Club Comparative Literature Department Computer Graphics Club Computer Science Club Computer Technology Club Creative Music Creative Writing Club Criminal Justice Club Criminal Justice Department CSTEP Culture of Hip Hop CUNY Coalition of Students With Disabilities D.R.E.A.M. Team Dance Club Dance Ensemble Debate Team Delta Sigma Pi Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Democracy Matters Democracy Matters Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Desi Club Digital Collective Club Divest SU Dominican Club Dominican Club Dominican Student Movement (MEDO) Drama Club DREAM Team Dream Team Dream Team Dream Team Dreamer's Club Economics Club Economics Department Ecuadorian Club Education Club Educational Opportunity Program Elementary & Early Childhood Education Enactus Encounters Magazine Engineering Club

Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Hostos Communty College Brooklyn College Pratt Institute Baruch College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF SUNY New Paltz Hunter College Buffalo State College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Brooklyn College Baruch College Hunter College Baruch College Buffalo State College SUNY Cortland City College Hunter College Queens College Baruch College Hostos Communty College SUNY Cortland Queensborough Community College Hostos Communty College City College Buffalo State College Hunter College Borough of Manhattan Community College Baruch College Queensborough Community College Bronx Community College SUNY Cortland Hunter College Brooklyn College Baruch College Queens College Medgar Evers College SUNY New Paltz City College Nassau Community College SUNY Cortland Brooklyn College City College Hunter College SUNY Purchase SUNY Purchase Buffalo State College Medgar Evers College Queens College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF SUNY New Paltz Queensborough Community College Queens College Hunter College Nassau Community College

Engineers for a Sustainable Society English Club Entertainment Committee Envirolutions Environmental Cooperation Organization Environmental Studies Student Organization Environmental Task Force Epsilon Sigma Phi Equal Opportunity Program ESF Insomniacs E-Sport Association E-Sports Association Eugenio Mana de Hostos Puerto Rican Club Exchange Support Fashion Students Organization Fellowship of Christian Athletes Fencing Club Fighting Games Association Filipino Club (QC Flight) Filipinos Uniting Students in Other Nations Film and Music Fit Club Foreign Language Society Forensic Science Freedom by Design French Club (La Table Française de Buffalo State College ) French Film Society French Speaking World Club Fusion Gaming Club Garden Club Gardening Club Gay Men's Alliance Girl Geek Dinners GLASS Global Brigades Global Medical Brigade Global Medical Brigade Gospel Choir Gospel Choir Gospel Choir Graduate Student Association Graduate Student Council Graduate Student Government Green Fee Council Green Team Guitar Club Guns Down Guyanese Student Association Habitat For Humanity Hairtology Haitian Club Haitian Student Association Haitian Students Association Haitian Students Organization

Queens College Medgar Evers College Brooklyn College Hunter College SUNY Cortland Baruch College Hunter College Brooklyn College SUNY Cortland Queens College Medgar Evers College Baruch College SUNY Cortland SUNY Cortland Queens College SUNY Cortland Bronx Community College Hunter College Bronx Community College College of Staten Island Borough of Manhattan Community College Queens College Baruch College Bronx Community College Baruch College City College Hunter College Nassau Community College SUNY New Paltz Queens College Baruch College Baruch College Borough of Manhattan Community College Borough of Manhattan Community College Queens College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF SUNY Cortland SUNY New Paltz Queens College SUNY Cortland Queens College SUNY New Paltz City College SUNY Cortland Buffalo State College SUNY New Paltz Buffalo State College Binghamton University Brooklyn College Hostos Communty College Hunter College Baruch College Borough of Manhattan Community College City College City College

Hakuna Matata Club HASA Health Awareness Club Hillel Hillel Hindu Students Association Hindu Students Association Hispanic Society History Club History Department Impact Impact Club Inclusive Recreation Club Inclusive Special Education Club Indian Club International Awareness Club International Club International Club International Education Department International Student Association International Students Club International Students Community Club International Students Organization Inter-Organizational Council Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Intramurals Club ITones Japan Club Japanese Anime Asylum Japanese Culture Club Jewelry Making Club Journalism Program JUMP Nation Kappa Alpha Psi Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Knight News La Familia Latina La Tertulia La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda LAESA-SHPE Lambda Sigma Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. Lambda Signma Upsilon Latino Fraternity Lambda Tau Omega Sorority, Inc. Vydurance Omicron Chapter Lamda Alpha Latin American Student Union Latin Women Group Law and Social Justice Club Lesbians Rising Lexicon LGBT for Success Club LGBT Open Alliance LGBTQ Alliance

SUNY Purchase SUNY New Paltz Queensborough Community College College of Staten Island Borough of Manhattan Community College Medgar Evers College Hunter College Bronx Community College SUNY New Paltz SUNY New Paltz Hunter College Queensborough Community College Baruch College Queensborough Community College Buffalo State College Hostos Communty College Borough of Manhattan Community College Hostos Communty College New York City College of Technology Queensborough Community College Hostos Communty College Borough of Manhattan Community College Bronx Community College Hunter College Queens College Queensborough Community College Queensborough Community College York College SUNY New Paltz Buffalo State College Medgar Evers College Buffalo State College Medgar Evers College Hostos Communty College SUNY New Paltz New York City College of Technology Medgar Evers College City College Brooklyn College Queensborough Community College Buffalo State College Hunter College Bronx Community College College of Staten Island Baruch College SUNY Purchase Hunter College City College Buffalo State College SUNY New Paltz Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Buffalo State College Buffalo State College College of Staten Island Borough of Manhattan Community College

LGBTQU Male Call MALES Club Marketing Association Math Club Math Society Media Board Men of Color Initiative Men's Club Baseball Men's Club Lacrosse Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students Mock Trial Mock Trial Association Motor Club Mu Sigma Epsilon Sorority, Inc. Muscle and Fitness Club Music Club Music Club Music Club Music Society Muslim Club Muslim Student Association Muslim Student Association Muslim Student Association Muslim Student Association Muslim Student Association Muslim Students Association Muslim Students Association National Pan Hellenic Council National Society of Black Engineers National Society of Leadership and Success National Society of Minorities in Hospitality National Society of Minorities in Hospitality New Hope and Success New Paltz Student Association/Student Senate New Tech Times New York Students Rising New York Water Environment Association Newman Catholic Club Newman Club NIA Mentoring Program Nu Phi Delta Nursing Club Nursing Club NYC Hong Kong Club OAPIA (Organization of African Peoples in America) Olivetree Review Ombudsperson's Office Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Omega Phi Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc Omega Psi Phi Operation 3-Legged Dolphin Organization for Student Veterans

Medgar Evers College Borough of Manhattan Community College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Borough of Manhattan Community College Buffalo State College Borough of Manhattan Community College Hunter College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Brooklyn College Queens College Queens College Bronx Community College Baruch College Buffalo State College Hunter College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Buffalo State College SUNY New Paltz Pratt Institute Hunter College Brooklyn College Hunter College Baruch College Nassau Community College Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Queens College Borough of Manhattan Community College Baruch College City College Hunter College Borough of Manhattan Community College Bronx Community College Nassau Community College Queensborough Community College Medgar Evers College Hostos Communty College Hostos Communty College SUNY Purchase Bronx Community College Buffalo State College Buffalo State College Borough of Manhattan Community College College of Staten Island Hunter College Hostos Communty College City College City College Hunter College Borough of Manhattan Community College SUNY New Paltz Borough of Manhattan Community College City College Medgar Evers College Hostos Communty College Queensborough Community College

Organizing Students and Justice Our Words Online Journal Outing Club (SUOC) Outreach Club Pan-African Students Organization (PASO) Parents Club Paths to Animal Liberation Peace Action of New York State Peer Health Exchange Persian Club Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Phi Theta Kappa Photo Club Physics Club Pilipinos of Hunter Plant Propagation Club Poder Latinos Unidos Powerlifting Club Pratt Music Pre-Health Organization Pre-Law Club Pre-Law Society Pre-Law Society Pride Club Primitive Pursuits Prism: The Gender & Sexuality Alliance Programming Club PRSSA Psych Club Psych News Psychology Club Psychology Club Psychology Club Psychology Club Public Administration (MECSPA) Public Administration Club Puerto Rican Club PUSH Ideas Into Action Reggae Arts & Culture Club Reserve Officer Training Corps Club Resident Hall Association Resurgence in Christ Ministry Revue Rhythm Hitters Robotics Club Roosevelt Institute Safe Space Salsa on 2 Salsa Sazon Club Scholarship Mentorship Program Advisory Board Scholarship Society Club Science Activities Club Science Association Science Club Science Research Alliance

Brooklyn College Nassau Community College Queens College Borough of Manhattan Community College SUNY New Paltz Medgar Evers College SUNY New Paltz Syracuse University & SUNY ESF Baruch College SUNY New Paltz Brooklyn College Buffalo State College SUNY Cortland Queens College SUNY New Paltz SUNY Purchase Hostos Communty College Hostos Communty College SUNY New Paltz SUNY Purchase Baruch College

SciFi & Fantasy Club Sci-fi and Fantasy club SciFi Anime Sculpture Club Secular Student Alliance SEEK Association Shades Step Team She's The First* Syracuse Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc. Sigma Lambda Beta Intl. Fraternity, Inc. Sigma Lambda Upsilon Sigma Lambda Upsilon Sorority, Inc. Sikh Club Ski & Snowboard Club SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry) Soccer Club Social Latin Social Pioneering Monthly Sociology Club Solutions Across Borders

Bronx Community College

Sophist Scholars

SUNY Cortland

Spanish Club

Bronx Community College

Speech, Drama, Debate

Hostos Communty College

Sports Management

City College

SSSP Fusion Club

Queensborough Community College

STEM Research Club

Brooklyn College

Strive for College

City College

Strive for College

Brooklyn College

Stuck in the Library

SUNY Cortland

Student Activities Board

SUNY Cortland

Student Alumni Association

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New York State DREAM Coalition New York DREAM Act (A.2597 / S.2378) Information Sheet What is the New York DREAM Act? The New York DREAM Act would allow undocumented students who meet in-state tuition requirements to access state financial aid and scholarships for higher education. It would also open 529 tuition savings accounts to all New York youth, and establish a DREAM Fund Commission to raise private funds for a college scholarship program for children of immigrants.

Why is it important? An estimated 146,000 youth in New York who have been educated in New York public schools are currently ineligible to receive financial aid under federal and state law.1 Of the more than 4,500 undocumented students who graduate from New York high schools every year, only 5-10% pursues a college degree due to tremendous financial obstacles.2 The City University of New York (CUNY) reports that 6,640 undocumented undergraduate students were enrolled during the Fall 2013 semester ( 4 percent of enrollment) slightly more than last year. Although many have attended New York schools from kindergarten through 12th grades, they are left in limbo after graduating high school, ineligible to receive federal tuition assistance, scholarships, grants or loans. New York, as a state with one of the largest immigrant populations in the U.S, must do what Washington D.C. has failed to do and equip these students with the tools that will help them succeed in their higher education pursuits. A decade ago, New York showed leadership by allowing all students who graduate from a high school in New York to pay in-state tuition rates at CUNY and SUNY. The New York DREAM Act would be the next step, extending state financial aid to all students who meet the requirements for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

California, Texas, and New Mexico have passed state-level DREAM Acts allowing undocumented students to access state funded financial aid, and New York should join them in passing legislation that is good for our community, good for our youth, and good for our economy.

Those who benefit from the bill must meet the following requirements: • • • •

Have attended a NY high school for at least 2 years and graduated, or obtained a NY GED Enroll in a college or university in the state of New York within 5 years of graduating Affirm they will apply for legal immigration status as soon as they are able to do so. Meet Higher Education Services Corporation’s requirements for TAP  Be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits per semester  Declare a major by the 2nd year of a 2-year program or 3rd year of a 4-year program  Maintain a C average  Be charged at least $200 tuition per year  Meet income eligibility requirements

1

Batalova, Jeanne and Margie McHugh. 2010. “DREAM vs. Reality: An Analysis of Potential DREAM Act Beneficiaries.” Washington, DC. Migration Policy Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/DREAM-Insight-July2010.pdf 2 Immigration Policy Center. 2011. “The DREAM Act: Creating Opportunities for Immigrant Students and Supporting the U.S. Economy,” http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/dream-act.The estimate of 4,500 undocumented high school graduates per year is created by taking the share of all undocumented youth estimated to live in NYS State (7%) times the number of undocumented youth estimated to graduate from a US high school every year (65,000).

For more information: Natalia Aristizabal: [email protected] / Razeen Zaman: [email protected]

New York State DREAM Coalition Myths and Facts about the New York DREAM Act (A.2597 / S.2378) Myth 1: The Bill would provide an incentive for people to come here illegally. Fact: The New York DREAM Act offers no reason for people to enter the country illegally. It does not legalize students -- only federal reform can do that. The NY DREAM Act also does not provide benefits for immigrants who are not already here. It requires students to graduate from a New York high school or obtain a GED in New York to qualify for state financial aid. Myth 2: It will be a fiscal burden and increase the strain on state educational systems. Fact: The New York DREAM Act would make money for taxpayers. State and local taxpayers are already investing in the education of undocumented students in elementary and secondary school. Continuing to invest in NY youth, so that they can attend college, will bring a strong return on investment by allowing youth to develop their careers. The annual cost of the NY DREAM Act is less than 2 percent of the current TAP budget. Workers in New York with a college education pay $3,900 more in state and local taxes every year compared to workers with a high-school diploma.3 OSC estimated that the initial cost of providing TAP awards to these students would likely be offset by the additional taxes paid over the course of their working lifetimes as a result of their ability to obtain higher-paying jobs. Myth 3: This bill is funded by US citizens’ tax payments and benefits only undocumented youth Fact: Undocumented immigrants pay payroll taxes, income taxes, and property taxes (directly, or through their landlords), just like U.S. citizens. The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that undocumented immigrants paid $662.4 million in taxes to NY State in 2010.4 Myth 4: Documented New Yorkers will lose spots in college. Fact: The small number of students who will be impacted by the New York DREAM Act is not significant enough to affect the opportunities of others. The colleges and universities in the 12 states that allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition have not experienced a large influx of undocumented youth that have taken seats away from U.S. citizen students. Further, TAP is an entitlement program, which means that all youth who qualify and apply are able to obtain financial aid. Extending this program to undocumented students does not affect other students’ access to TAP or to higher education. Myth 5: The NY DREAM Act is a form of amnesty. Fact: The New York DREAM Act does not provide amnesty or change immigration law. The focus of the bill is to expand access to higher education for undocumented students who live in New York and have graduated from a New York high school. These students are here to stay and we should provide them with the tools to succeed fully and contribute to the State's economy. Myth 6: The federal government will fix our immigration problems. We do not need to act. Fact: Current proposals for Federal Immigration Reform would not grant financial aid to undocumented students. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has already granted work authorization to many undocumented youth in New York State. Assisting undocumented students to obtain a college education allows the State to immediately capitalize on professional skills and higher tax payments as soon as immigrant youth obtain work authorization through DACA or any future federal legalization. 3

Fiscal Policy Institute. 2013. “The New York State DREAM Legislation: A Strong Return on Investment.” http://fiscalpolicy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/02/NYS-DREAM-legislation-ROI.pdf 4 Immigration Policy Center. 2011. “Unauthorized Immigrants Pay Taxes, Too: Estimates of the State and Local Taxes Paid by Unauthorized Immigrant Households,” http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/Tax_Contributions_by_Unauthorized_Immigrants_041811.pdf.

For more information: Natalia Aristizabal: [email protected] / Razeen Zaman: [email protected]